This document discusses several international problems including human rights, terrorism, and refugees. It begins by defining international problems as those that affect many countries and eventually all countries. It then discusses the rise of human rights in international relations, with the UN adopting declarations on civil/political and economic/social rights. Terrorism is defined as using violence for political goals and poses challenges as conflicts can occur anywhere. The problems refugees face in finding shelter, adjusting to new cultures/languages, and the strain on host nations are also outlined. Overall, the document emphasizes that international cooperation is needed to solve these global issues.
2. INTRODUCTIO
N
◦ Some problems are not restricted to any one country –
They affect many countries and eventually all the countries
in the world.
◦ The problems that affect the whole world are called
International problems.
◦ In order to solve these problems, all nations need to make
Joint Efforts.
4. ◦ The concept has emerged from the concept of NATURAL RIGHTS.
◦ NATURAL RIGHTS are those rights that we are endowed with because we are born as
human beings.
◦ HUMAN RIGHTS are those rights that are necessary for living as a human being and as
a constituent of the society.
◦ The American and the French Revolution proclaimed Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Justice as
Human Rights.
◦ For the same, a democratic form of government was important.
◦ Several European Nations started adopting the democratic constitutions and governments
which limited the Authority of the State.
◦ The main responsibility of the State is “the Protection of Citizen’s Right”.
5. RISE OF THE CONCEPT OF
HUMAN RIGHTS IN
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
6. ◦ After the United Nations was established, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was prepared.
◦ It was adopted in the United Nation’s General Assembly by a Majority vote on 10th December 1948.
◦ In 1966, UN General Assembly adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
and the Internal Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Both are parts of
International Law, that every member nation are bound to observe.
◦ Some of the things that were raised and resolved were :
a. Racial segregation in Africa which was against human rights, it was decided to boycott the regime.
b. Freedom of colonies and insistence on the democratic system.
c. Modern Problems like – racism, border disputes, terrorism.
◦ Human rights today also includes goals like Protection of the Environment and Sustainable Development.
8. ◦ Human Rights are given in the form of Fundamental Rights.
◦ Apart from that, the protection of weaker sections like women and minorities
is given to the government.
◦ In 1993, the Human Rights Protection Act was passed.
◦ As per this, the National Human Rights Commission and State Human Rights
Commission was established.
◦ The commission is responsible for taking Cognizance(details) of the
complaints regarding violation of human rights and take appropriate action
regarding such violations.
10. ◦ Securing Environment is an important Human Right.
◦ In 1970, the awareness and need of saving the environment was expressed – on an international level.
◦ The experts believed that due to the Industrialization on a large scale and the increasing need for energy – the environment
was endangered.
◦ These activist celebrated the 1ST EARTH DAY on 22nd April 1970.
◦ The factors that made the environment unsafe and created problems were : Chemical Fertilisers and Pesticides used in
Agriculture, Sound Pollution due to vehicles, Radiation from nuclear reactors, oil leakages or leakages of chemical gases.
◦ After the awareness, the question of environment safety began on an international level.
◦ After globalisation, the threat to the environment caused by pollution or by leakage of oil or gas does not remain restricted to
one nation. The effects were Long term too.
◦ The visible effects of the decline of environment are Extinction of species of plants and animals, decrease in the fertility
of soil, water shortage, fluctuation in the proportion of rainfall, global warming, drying up rivers and lakes, incidence of
newer diseases, acid rain etc.
◦ Even if some of the effects are restricted to nation, these problems reach global proportions, due to their long-term effects.
12. A United Nations Conference on human environment was called at Stockholm from 5th-16th June 1972.
◦ It was stressed that it is the responsibility of all nations to cooperate to Overcome Pollution.
◦ Developing nations feel that developed nations are more responsible for the decline of the environment and
they should take the responsibility for stopping the decline.
◦ The Non-governmental Organization working in the field of Environmental protection were present.
◦ Issue of protection of global wealth was raised – it was everyone’s responsibility to protect resources.
◦ After the conference, the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) was created.
◦ Many treaties were signed, and several rules were made about the protection of environment.
◦ Environmental movements were started at a national as well as international level.
13. ◦ 20 years later, the next stage of environmental conference was held at Rio in 1992. The idea of
sustainable development was stressed. Treaties regarding bio-diversity, climate change due to the green
house gases, protection of forests etc were signed.
◦ In 1997, the Kyoto conference laid down the protocols for the developed countries for preventing
climate change. It was applied for 15 years. (2012)
◦ A conference on climate change was held at Paris in November 2015.
◦ Appeal was made in the conference –
1. All nations should make concerted efforts to stop climate change and global warming.
2. The developed countries should help the developing countries to acquire the technology
to achieve these goals.
14. TERRORISM
• Major problem of our
times.
• Several countries are
facing this problem.
• No country can
encounter it entirely on
their own.
• Thus is a global problem.
15. What is Terrorism ?
◦ Terrorism is spreading fear and terror in a society – by using or threatening to use violence – against
common and innocent people – for achieving political goals.
◦ It is an organized and planned violence.
◦ In the past 2 decades, terrorist conflict appears to have intensified in different countries.
◦ Terrorist conflict is different from traditional war.
◦ Traditional war is between 2 or more sovereign nation – the geographical boundaries are important.
◦ Terrorist groups can cause violence in any part of the world from anywhere in the world. The aim is not to
endanger the geographical boundaries, but to challenge a regime in a country or refuse to acknowledge the
existence of the state.
◦ The Internal security is threatened in addition to external security
17. ◦ People who must leave their motherland against their wishes or are forced to go to other
nations, seeking refuge or for security are called as Refugees.
◦ People become refugees due to torture or persecution for belonging to a particular race or
religion, due to a war or a disaster etc.
◦ Before the second World War, the Jews were tortured in Germany – their citizenship and
property was confiscated. Jews became refugees.
◦ In 1971, the people in East Pakistan turned refugees and came to India seeking refuge due to
political and religious persecution.
◦ In the recent years, war like situation in Iraq and Syria has led to the migration of many people
from Syria as refugees to other countries.
18. Refugees face many problems :
◦ Decide where to go? Will that nation provide shelter? Is the most important problem.
◦ They are to bring their families along – involves a lot of physical & emotional stress.
◦ Problems like – heat, rain, storms as well as shortages of food, sickness, an enemy in pursuit etc. Many of
them loose their lives.
◦ Once they reach a country, they have problems finding work, a place to live and other day to day
problem.
◦ If language and culture is different then adjusting to that poses difficulties.
◦ With the increase in number of refugees, the strain on the economy of the host nation increases.
◦ A shortage of essential goods, increase in crime or even inflation.
◦ Locals may lose their job; a problem of law and order may come up.
19. ◦ In 1951, certain provisions were made for the Refugees :
Refugees will not be forcefully sent back to their country against their wishes.
◦ An office of the High Commissioner of the United Nations has been established to solve their
problems.
◦ If all nations safeguarded and fostered human rights – exploitation and violence would reduce.
All people will be able to achieve their own development safely and securely.
◦ All nations must come together, cooperate with each other, take concrete action and bring
about the actual change where – terrorism is wiped out and no one is forced to seek refuge in
another country.
◦ Human rights can be more effectively implemented if the environment is safeguarded.
